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New York by Land and by Sea


The South Street Seaport Museum’s Pioneer schooner.   
(Photo: Courtesy of South Street Seaport Museum)

NEW YORK CITY BOAT TOURS

  Tour Routes Guide Price The Lowdown

Circle Line Sightseeing

 The longest cruise circles the isle of Manhattan, while the shorter ones stick to the southern half.

Most Popular Tour:
2 Hour-Semicircle Tour—a cruise down the Hudson, around the Battery, then up the East River as far as the U.N. before heading back again.

Duration of Tours:
75 minutes to 3 hours.		 Guides point out sites of interest on shore. Adults and children, $20–$29.50.

Buy online. You must redeem vouchers for tickets at the Circle Line Box Office at Pier 83 near West 42nd Street. The 75-minute tour operates from May through October. All other cruises operate year-round.		 The reputation, price, and comprehensiveness (not to mention the life preservers) make this a safe bet.

Gray Line / New York Splash Tours

 Trips take place on an amphibious vehicle, which starts and ends on land at Times Square but splashes down in the Hudson River for a fifteen-minute cruise, too.

Most Popular Tour:
Only one route.

Duration of Tour:
1 hour.		 "Captain" (driver) and "First Mate" (tour guide) provide insight into the passing attractions. Adults and children, $27.

Buy online. Bring your confirmation and a photo I.D. to the boarding location. This tour only operates April through December.		 You won't see much of interest once seaborne, but how often do you get to pretend to be Henry Hudson?

New York Waterway Tours

 The shorter Lady Liberty cruise stays within the harbor at the southern end of Manhattan, while the others (Architecture, History, Nighttime, etc.) take a longer, semi-circular route from one of side of midtown to the other.

Most Popular Tour:
Skyline Cruise

Duration of Tours:
50 to 90 minutes		 Tour guides on all ships offer factoids and commentary on the shoreline attractions. Adults and children, $16–$23.
Buy online. Cruises generally operate between June and December. 		Like Dr. Ruth, these themed cruises are entertaining, educational, and relatively short.
New York Water Taxi A dozen stops are scattered around midtown, downtown, Brooklyn, and Queens. Hop on and off at any stop with your one- or two-day pass. The one-hour Gateway to America tour explores the harbor in particular.

Most Popular Tour:
Only one harbor cruise is offered.

Duration of Tour:
1 hour for Harbor Cruise; hop-on-hop-off tickets are good for one to two days.		 The harbor cruise's narration is prerecorded by Kathleen Turner and National Park Service Rangers. Adults and children, $20–$30.

Reservations are not required; tickets can be bought at any one of a dozen piers (see map). Hop-on-hop-off service operates according to weather, usually from mid-April to mid-October.		 Those with a keen interest in military installations on the harbor—or in the deep, throaty voice of Kathleen Turner—should opt for the Gateway tour.

South Street Seaport Museum Harbor Tours

 Tour routes vary greatly depending on the day. From May through October, there are two-hour trips aboard the schooner Pioneer or four-hour rides on the restored 1930 wooden tugboat, the W.O. Decker. (A box lunch and beverage come with this package.)

Most Popular Tour:
The Pioneer hosts twice-monthly wine-tastings.

Duration of Tours:
2 to 4 hours.		 An educator from the museum serves as a guide on every tour. Adults and children, $100.

Buy online. Tours run from March through October.		 Each tour has a different theme, so choose carefully or you'll end up seeing Brooklyn's waterfront factories and warehouses when you hoping to see Chelsea Piers and the 79th Street Boat Basin.


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